Spring-balance



(No Model.)

J. H. NOLAN.

SPRING BALANCE.

No. 403,693. Patented May 21 1889.

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Witnesses,

N PETERS. Plmluimm umr, Washmgurl. D. C.

UNITED STATES JOHN ll. NOLAN, ()F BOSTON, MAS.

PATENT ()FFICE.

ACHUSETTS.

SPRING-BALANCE.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, JOHN If. NOLAN, of Boston,county of Suffolk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Spring-Balances, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, aspecilication, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

The object of my invention is to producea spring-balance of simple and inexpensive construction which is very durable and accurate.

The invention consists, mainly, in various combinations and details of construction, that will be hereinafter pointed out.

Figure l. is a front elevation of a weighing apparatus embodying this invention; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section thereof; and Figs. 3 and 4, transverse sections on lines in and y, respectively, of Fig. l.

The invention is embodied in an apparatus of that kind in which the scale-pan or receiver is supported on a spring, the elastic force of which counterbalances the weight, and the amount of depression of the weight-receiver in opposition to the elastic force of the spring atfords a measure for the weight, which is indicated by a revolving pointer and co-operating dial, the said point-er being turned in proportion to the depression of the weight-receiver and elongation of the coiinterbalancingspring through the intervention of a rack and pinion.

The invention consists, mainly, in the devices for supporting and guiding the said main operative parts and for inclosing and protecting the same from being tampered with, and from being affected by dust, the.

The scale-pan. or receiver a, which may be of any suitable or usual size and shape, is provided with a tubular shank or stem, a, that fits upon a neck, Z), (shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2,) upon the standard or support Z), that sustains the scale-pan and weight thereon, and is itself supported on the counterbalancing-spring c, the lower end of which is connected with a lateral arm or projection, W, at the lower end of said. standard b. The

neck (1. has a notch, (1, that engages a projection on the standard h, as shown in Fig. 2, to retain the scale-pan in proper position on said standard.

The parts above mentioned are supported Patent No. 403,693, dated May 21, 1889.

Serial No. 280,724. (No model.)

and guided on a frame, (I, having two vertical members, d connected at the top by a transverse portion, (7, shown as curved o1 arch-shaped, and preferably also connected at their lower end by a transverse portion, (7, thus making an open frame that receives the main portion of the upright Z) and the spring 0 within it. The upper end of the said spring 0 is fastened to the upper transverse member, d of the frame by a hook, c, which may have a threaded shank working in said frame, as shown, so as to provide for adjustment.

The weight-supptwting standard I) is guided in its vertical movement by levers ff, which are forked, as best shown in Figs. 3 and at, so as to receive a portion, [1, of the frame and the standard 1) between their forked ends. They thus guide the standard 1) and retain it in vertical. position as it moves up and down, while affording extremely small frictional resistance to such movement. The uppcrmemher, (7", of the frame is offset, as best shown at (7 Fig. -3, and has a recess, (7., opposite said offset, that receives the standard I), which is itself recessed, as shown at If, Fig. 2, thus producing stopshoulders If b',which by their engagement with the frame limit the movement of said standard in both directions,and thus prevent overstraining of the spring (2. The amount of downward movement of the receiver a, which takes place when a weight is applied to it, and brought into equilibrium by the opposing force of the spring 0, affords the measure for the amount of said weight, and in order to indicate it readily the lever f is extended beyond its point of connection with the standard I), as shown at f and is pivotally connected with one end of a rack or toothed bar, g, meshing with a pinion, 7!, on an arbor, 71, having a l'iearing in the front portion, (1 of the frame through which it extends, being provided at the outside of said frame with a pointer, 7L2, that co-operat-es with a suitable graduated dial, 1'. (Best shown in Fig. 1.) The upper portion, (F, of the frame is recessed, as shown at (1 Fig. 3, to permit the movement of the rack, which is guided and retained in engagement with the pinion h by a guide, it, (see Fig. 3,) connected with the front member, d of the frame. The op erative parts, with the exceptitm of the dial, are thus all connect ed with the framed, which supports and retains the said parts in the proper position with relation to one another during the weighing operation. In order to protect the said operative parts and to provide a suitable finish for the entire apparatus the said frame is inclosed in a cylindrical case or shell, m, provided at its outside and above the lower end of the cylindrical portion with a widened base or projecting flange, m, and terminating at the top in a head or end piece, 172 having an opening of'sufficient size to permit the free movement of the shank a of the scale-panQ The said shell is also provided with a lateral cylindrical eXtension,m (see Fig. 3,) of the same diameter as the said upright cylinder upon which the dial 2' is supported, said dial being preferably composed of thin sheet metal having graduations marked or engraved thereon, as shown in Fig. 1, and having a flange, i, (best shown in Fig. 2,) which fits over the tubular projection in A cross-bar or bridge, m (see Fig. 2,) extends across the cylindrical extension m and 00- operates with the front portion, d of the frame in forming a guide or bearing for the pointer-arbor h.

The entire frame cl, with the operative parts connected wit-h it, is inserted through the lower end of the cylindrical shell, the

pointer th enbein g removed and the pointerarbor slipped back, and the scale-pan aalso being removed from the upper end of the standard 1), and the said frame d is then fastened securely in proper position in the shell by means of screws 01.. (Best shown in Fig. 2.) The pointer-arbor is then pushed forward through an opening or bearing in the bridge m. The dial 1. is then applied and the pointer fastened upon the end of the pointer-arbor by a nut, h A cap, 0, is then applied to the lower end of the cylinder or shell on within the base m, thus tightly closing the said shell at its lower end. This cap 0 is of the same size and may be of the same material as the dial, as the lower end of the cylinder is of the same size as the end of the lateral projection on, and the same dies may be employed to shape and flange the covers 0 that are employed to make the dial 2'.

A weighing apparatus of this kind is extremely simple, inexpensive, durable, and reliable, and the inclosing case or shell of the construction described affords a perfect protection for the inclosed parts, and also makes the entire apparatus of neat appearance.

I claim 1. A weighing apparatus comprising a frame, (Z, having a transverse member, (1 the Weight-supporting standard I), its guidinglevers pivotally connected therewith and with the said frame, the said standard having an offset or arm at its lower end, a spring connected with the upper transverse member of said frame and with the arm of said standard, the pointer and its arbor having a bearing in said frame and provided with a pinion, and the rack meshing with said pinion and connected with one of said guide-levers, substantially as described.

2. A weighing apparatus comprising a frame, a, weight-supporting standard, its guide-levers, a spring, the pointer-arbor and rack and a pinion supported on said frame, and the cylindrical shell m, having a basetlange, m, at the outside of and above the lower end thereof, and the lateral cyl'ndrical projection m and dial i, supported thereon, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A weighing apparatus comprising a frame, ,d, having a transverse member, (1 the weight-supporting standard I), having a recess, b the shoulders at the ends of which engage said frame, the guiding-levers'forsaid standard, the spring connected with said standard and with the frame d and the rack connected with one of said levers, and pinion meshing with said rack, and pointer-arbor and pointer operated by said pinion, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JNO. H. NOLAN.

Witnesses:

Jos. P. LIVERMORE, M. E. HILL. 

